78.--Impression of the Seal of the Trustees and Guardians of Shakespeare's Birthplace.

See Front Cover of Catalogue.

79.—Leaden Bulla of Pope Clement III.

Presented by J. O. HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS, Esq.

80.-Impression in wax from the matrix (in the British Museum) of the Common Seal of the Guild of the Holy Cross at Stratford: round seal, 2 inches diameter, the crucifixion, with legend "SIGILLUM COMMUNE GILDE SCE CRUCIS DE STRATFORDE" with super plaster cast of same. [13 century.]

Presented by ROBERT READY, British Museum.

81.-Impression in wax of the Seal of the Peculiar of Stratford : pointed oval, 3 in. x 2 in., in the centre the royal arms supported by a lion and dragon, below PRO PECVLIARI IURIS DE STRATFORDE VPON AVIN. Legend SIGILLV : REGIAE : MAIESTATIS : CAUSAS ECCLESIASTICAS +.

Y AD

auon

A Peculiar is the technical name of a Parish, or Church, exercising, through a special court of its own, jurisdiction for probate of Wills, &c., exempt from the ordinary, and the Bishop's Courts. Stratford-upon-Avon Peculiar Court was abolished in 1838. 18 Fep 12 Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

82.—Oval box, 3 in. x 2 in., containing troyweight scales "made from the wood of the walnuttree, which grew in the front of Shakespeare's Birthplace and was cut down in 1765," impressed "Sharp, Stratford-on-Avon."

This case originally belonged to Rev. Stephen Nason, M.A., Vicar of Stratford-upon-Avon, 1763-1787.

Presented by JOHN JAMES NASON, Esq., M.B,, J.P.,
Church House, Stratford-upon-Avon (grand-
son of Rev. Stephen Nason), 1868.

83. Another specimen of No. 82.

Presented by W. O. HUNT, Esq., 1870, "to whom it came from his grandmother."

84.-A DEED WITNESSED BY THE DRAMATIST'S FATHER, AND CONCERNING HIS NEIGHBOURS IN HENLEY STREET, 1575.-Deed of Sale by William Wedgewood of Stretford vppon Avon, tailer, to Edward Willies of Kyngsnorton, yeoman, for fforty fower poundes, of towe Tenementes in Stretford aforesaid in a street there commonly called Henley streete, in the occupatyon of the sayd William Wedgewood, Betwyne the tenement of Richard Hornebe [blacksmith] of the East part, And the tenement of John Shakesper, yeoman, of the west parte, and the streete of the sowthe parte, and the quenes high way called the Gillpitts of the northe parte. Dated 20th September, 1575, Signed-Wylliam Wedgwood. Wytnesses hereof John Shakesper, Edward Affyeld, Humfry Affyeld, Walter Roch, Bartholomu Kytle, Richard Horneby."

See No. 88 infra.-The dramatist was eleven years old at the date of this deed, and living in his father's house, which was next door to that of William Wedgewood, the tailor. The forge and smithy of Richard Horneby, adjoined Wedgewood's shop. Horneby's premises now form the Birthplace Ticket Office.

Horneby's forge and smithy may well have suggested to the dramatist this vivid picture:

I saw a smith stand with his hammer thus-
The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,
With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;
Who, with his shears and measure in his hand,
Standing on slippers (which his nimble haste
Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet),
Told of a many thousand warlike French
That were embattled and rank'd in Kent;
Another lean unwash'd artificer

Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death."

KING JOHN, iv, 2, 193.

Presented by MESSRS. BEST & HORTON, Birmingham through MR. JOSEPH HILL, Perry Barr.

85.-SIGNATURE OF HAMNET SADLER, THE GODFATHER OF THE POET'S SON HAMNET IN 1598.Bond from Thomas Blackford, of Butler's Marston, co. Warwick, yeoman, to Daniel Smyth of Stratford, yeoman, in 200 marks to perform covenants in an Indenture of the same date, 10 July 40 Eliz. (1598), respecting the sale of a messuage in Sheep Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. Signed. Witnesses-William Court, Hamnet Sadler, Gilbert Charnocke, Richard Niccoles, Hugh Piggin. Small Seal.

Hamnet Sadler was a legatee under, and a witness to, Shakespeare's Will, and was godfather to the poet's son, Hamnet, who was buried in the Parish Church on August 11th, 1596, in his twelfth year.

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

86.-CONVEYANCE OF A MESSUAGE AND LAND IN SHOTTERY TO BARTHOLOMEW, BROTHER OF ANNE HATHAWAY, SHAKESPEARE'S WIFE, 1610.-Deed of Feoffment by William Whitmore of London, Esq., and John Randall, of Preston Pagot, co. Warw. gent., to Bartholomew Hathaway, of Shottery, husbandman, of land, etc., in Shottery in his own tenure and parcel of the Manor of Old Stratford, viz: a messuage and yard-land sometime in the tenure of Thomas Perkins, a messuage and yard-land called Howlands, a toft and half yard-land called Hewlyn's and three closes called Howland's, Hewlyn's, and Palmer's, with common of pasture in Shottery, to hold the same at a yearly rent of 33sh. 4d. Dated 1st April, 1610. Signed with seals.

:

Wittnesses-Richard Cockes, Francis Collyns, etc.

Vellum.

Presented by MISS ANNE Wheler.

87.-A DEED OF 1394 RESPECTING LAND AT SNITTERFIELD.-Grant from Thomas Elmet, of Snytefeld, to Thomas Hoggys, Chaplain, and John Parkere, of the same, of a messuage and curtilage in Snytefeld (Snitterfield, co. Warwick) between a tenement formerly belonging to Walter Malonis and the highway, together with two acres of arable land lying in halfacre plots at Hunstensmor, behind Rowlowe, on Evermers furlong and against Fletenhull, and adjoining lands of Rog. atte Wer, Will. Fraunceys and Hugh Baschet, at a yearly rent of 4d. silver. Witnesses -Sir Walter, Vicar of Snytefeld,

(1394).

Peter Lyndraper,

Rich. Appulby, etc.

Dated on the Feast of St. Matthew (21 Sept.), 18 Rich. II,

88.-JOHN SHAKESPEARE'S NEIGHBOURS IN HENLEY STREET, 1573.-Deed of sale by William Wedgewood, of Stretford-uppon-Avon, yeoman, to Richard Hornebe, of

the same, smith, of a parcel of ground "in the backe syde of the tenement of the said Richard Hornbe in a streete called Henly Strete," extending to "the Quene's highewaye called the Gillpittes." Dated 28. Aug. 15 Eliz. (1573)

Signed with seal, W. S. entwined with a true-lover's knot, differing, however, from Shakespeare's signet-ring (See No. 61 supra). Witnesses:-Gualter Roche, John Shaxpere, the dramatist's father, Roger Grene (?), John Ange.

See No. 84 supra. and Halliwell-Phillipp's Outlines, 6th Edn., 1886, Vol. 2. p. 232.

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

89.-AN EXEMPTION FROM MUNICIPAL OFFICE AT STRATFORD, 1571.-Award by Sir Fulk Grevile and Sir Thomas Lucie, knts., and Clement Throckmerton and Henry Goodere, esquires, in a dispute between John Sadler, Bailiff, and the Burgesses of Stratford, and Robert Parratt, of Stratford, gent., ordering that, in consequence of an oath and vow of the lastnamed " never to be of the compaygnie and corporacion of Stratford, wherewith he, "cannot be perswaded to dispense with hymself in conscience, althoughe he be verie sorie for the same,' he be exempt from bearing any office and from all appearance by summons, etc., at the Common Hall, as well as from all other Charges, paying therefor to the Bailiff and Burgesses £13, and " of his owne mere and free good will, and for the ould love and affection that he beareth to the said towne and corporation, £40 to be employed during his life as he shall devise and after his death to such uses as he shall appoint," Dated 3 Jany. 13 Eliz. (1571).

Signed by Tho. Lucy, Cle. Throckmerton and H. Goodere; with seals of the last two remaining.

Vellum.

90.-WILL OF SHAKESPEARE'S GRANDDAUGHTER AND HIS LAST SURVIVING DESCENDANT, 1669-70.Will of Dame Elizabeth Barnard, wife of Sir John Barnard, of Abington, co. Northampton (and grand-daughter of Shakespeare); 29 Jan. 1669-70.

Probate Copy, much defaced by damp.

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

No. 91. The mark of Shakespeare's youngest daughter, Judith.